Monday, November 30, 2015

Random Thoughts for December, 2015.

Random Thoughts for December, 2015. By Robert A. Hall

Why we and our Middle-Eastern "allies" are are doing poorly in the War against Islamic Terrorists: "I am going to tell you a big secret derived from forty years experience. There are no troops more easily beaten than when they have once lost confidence in their leader; and they lose it immediately when they have been exposed to danger through private and personal ambition." --Letter from French LtGen Comte de Rochambeau to American MajGen Marques de Lafayette, 1780.

Like Disney fans who kept Tinkerbelle the fairy alive by believing in her as hard as they could, liberals think if they believe something hard enough, it becomes fact. Case in point: Obama saying that concerns expressed over the Syrian refugees were because Republicans were scared of "widows and children." His having said it, liberals and the media will now believe it as hard as they can, never mind that many Democrats have also expressed concern. Never mind that the pictures of the Muslim refugees show a large preponderance of military-age adult males. Never mind that the Muslim refugees who killed three and injured hundreds with the Boston Marathon Bombing were not "widows and children." Never mind that the Muslim refugee who killed four Marines and a sailor in Tennessee was not a widow or child. Never mind that Nidal Hasan, the Fort Hood Shooter who killed 13 and wounded 30 was the son of Muslim immigrants. Never mind that at least one of the Muslim murderers in France was a refugee, as was the terrorist who planned the operation, and a suicide bomber was a woman. Never mind that ISIS has formed a female suicide squad and that several Muslim terror groups have a history of using female and child suicide bombers and training children to murder the kaffir. Never mind that Syrian men with fake passports have been caught trying to enter the US. Obama says that those concerned about Muslim immigrants are afraid of "widows and children," so the liberals and media will believe it as hard as they can to try to make it fact.

Everyone in favor of taking in Muslim refugees should be required to take in at least one young male into their own home to show the rest of us that love and generosity conquers all.

America is in a desperate state because Obama's policy choices have flowed from a fundamental misunderstanding of economics, foreign policy, war, Islam and America's enemies. He views the world through red-tinted lenses. If the next president shares his delusions, it will be hopeless--if it's not already. We are close to the tipping point, after which the collapse will go rapidly.

The immigrant crisis in both Europe and America is the result of the modern western belief that the West is responsible for the health, welfare and safety of all the people in the world. It's the modern, liberal interventionist version of taking up, "The White Man's Burden." No other government feels the lightest responsibility for the health, prosperity or safety of the American people.

The Muslim invasion of Europe and America reminds me of the story of the Trojan Horse--except we built the horse for them.

The immigrant crisis will have Germans singing the Horst Wessel Song in short order.

If Muslim Jihadists screaming "Allah Akbar" took over the White House and a Muslim Imam in religious robes quoted the Qur'an while beheading Michelle and the Obama girls, when rescued Obama would say it had nothing to do with Islam and we needed to take in more Muslim (but not Christian) refugees.

Obama's speech on the French Terror was a pathetic parade of platitudes.

One solution to importing Syrian refugees into the US is for groups to meet them and hand out slips of paper in Arabic, with Hillary Clinton's home address and the legend "Zionist American Headquarters." Other groups would get similar slips for Nancy Pelosi, Check Schumer, Dick Durbin and other politicians wanting to bring more Syrians here. As long as they are all vetted, peaceful, multicultural Muslims who want to assimilate here and get along with everyone, it would do no harm, right?

A weasel will always find a hole

I don't hate all Germany and Japanese, but I hate the Nazis, the Japanese Militarists and their troops who wanted to destroy our way of life and freedoms. I didn't hate all Russians, or Chinese or Vietnamese, but I hate the Communists and their troops who wanted to destroy our way of life and freedoms. Contrary to what my liberal friends think, I don't hate all Muslims, but I hate the Islamists, the Jihadists, the terrorists and those who support them who wanted to destroy our way of life and freedoms. They are not a majority of Muslims, but they are much more than a "tiny minority of extremists." They include all Muslims who want to implement Shari'a Law, with its oppression of women, stoning of rape victims, hanging of gays, child marriage and murder of anyone who leaves Islam. And the religious extremists are hard to pick out from the moderate secularists before thy kill.

We know how this movie ends. The progressive politicians and the left media, in a panic about the possibly of the GOP ticket being headed by a black man who grew up in the ghetto directed by a single mother (not a half black man who grew up in privilege), are pulling out all stops to find every bit of history about Carson they can, then to spin it in the worst way. Once he is defeated for the nomination by their efforts, they will then point out how racist the GOP is for not nominating him after their attacks. I personal think Carson, brilliant and successful as he is, is naive about politics. I read his great book, America the Beautiful; he seems to think you can get things done in Washington by bringing both sides together and reasoning with them! I think this campaign will knock that rosy view of human nature out of him. Both the right and the left are very intransigent, though the media tries to make the left seem eager for compromise and working across the aisle.

That a majority of illegal immigrants are likely not criminals, drug dealers, terrorists and murders is small comfort to families like that of Kate Steinle.

Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the leader of ISIS, has an advanced degree in Islamic Studies. Naturally, you cannot expect him to understand Islam as well as Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton or John Kerry.

Paris proved that even a JV team can play on the road.

The fact that so many people in the world now hold the USA in contempt makes the world a very dangerous place for civilized folk.

As I understand the media, George Bush was dead wrong for removing the brutal secular dictator Saddam Hussain in Iraq, but Barack Obama and Hilary Clinton were completely right in removing the brutal secular dictator Gadhafi in Libya and seeking to remove the brutal secular dictator Assad in Syria. Got it.

Hard-nosed, short-sighted people are the bane of all enterprises.

I like football, though I suspect the head injury thing will destroy the sport. I rarely watch a whole game, and when I do watch football I have a book in my hand. When watching two teams I don't care about, I can usually think of a friend who cheers for one, or a person I hold in contempt who cheers for the other, and thus pick a side to root for.

Hillary said in the Dem Debate, "I come from the sixties." Alas, too true, culture-wise.

Despite declarations of peaceful intent by candidates, I believe it is 100% certain that whoever is elected president in 2016 will be a war president, given the growing Islamist threat, the rise of China and the ongoing invasion of illegals who do not wish to join our culture but destroy it. Our policy makers seem never to learn that it takes two sides to make peace, but only one side to make war. It is thus less than 50% that the next president will be a successful war leader. Far less.

The September 11, 2001 attacks that killed almost 3,000 Americans was probably the most successful small unit military operation in history. Since then the West has bent over backwards to accommodate Muslim demands and to not offend their ever-growing list of sensibilities, which has no end. In turn, every display of weakness and accommodation by America and Europe attracts droves of recruits to al Qaeda and ISIS, as they see their success in advancing Islam and Shari'a law.

I am still hopefully that both Donald Trump's and Hillary Clinton's tergiversation will scuttle their campaigns. But the public has short memories.

Progressive Education: Where the thugs have their self-esteem protected by allowing them free rein to disrupt the education of the good kids and bully those who want an education.

There is no use complaining that you were placed in a desert or a bog. You bloom where you were planted or not at all.

Some folks seem to try hard to dress as sloppily as possible for church. I don't believe that God cares about appearances. But I believe that people who don't care about their own appearance lack self-esteem and self confidence.

Creating envy is one of the key techniques that progressives use to get power. But in human history, envy often leads to violence and war. And they think of themselves as peacemakers.

Liberals love to use words like tolerance, multiculturalism and the ever-popular "coexist." Name one Muslim-majority society where these are practiced.

Anyone who thinks that moderation, tolerance, multiculturalism and a desire to "Coexist" are universal human values need only look at the cartoons about Jews in the newspapers of Muslim states, including those we insist on viewing as allies.

The number of Muslims who fail to understand that "Islam is a religion of peace" seems to grow every week.

Carl Jung describes Donald Trump: An inflated consciousness is always egocentric and conscious of nothing but its own existence. It is incapable of learning from the past, incapable of understanding contemporary events, and incapable of drawing right conclusions about the future. It is hypnotized by itself and therefore cannot be argued with. It inevitably dooms itself to calamities that must strike it dead.

Bush called his campaign against the enemies of civilization in Iraq, "Shock and Awe." Obama should call his campaign against ISIS, "Shucks and Ah Shit."

The secular liberal elites think that people have no souls. Doubtless they draw on themselves for examples.

The young urban liberals refer to themselves as "metrosexuals." Or as the jihadists think of them, "future slaves."

Since the 1960s, the liberal elites cannot imagine what it would be like for them, or their kids, to serve in the military. That's for the little people like us, not our betters. But it doesn't stop them from PC tinkering with the military, because it won't be their kids they get killed.

Obama said that "If the political winds turn ugly, I will stand with the Muslims." He didn't mention that in a great many places and cases, the ugly political winds are created by Muslims.

I think we should refer to liberals, progressives and communists as pinks, fuchsias and reds.

Abetted by the Sycophant Media, Obama, Hillary and Kerry have consistently confused their talking points with reality, their wishes with possibilities, and our enemies with friends.

From my Marine buddy Larry: "I think Dr. Ben Carson suffers from TPS. Definition - Tall Poppy Syndrome (TPS) is a pejorative term used in the UK, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand and Canada to describe a social phenomenon in which people of genuine merit are resented, attacked, cut down, or criticized because their talents or achievements elevate them above or distinguish them from their peers."

People keep demanding that we cut foreign aid. But, really, it's the only chance low and moderate income Americans get to chip in to support the lavish lifestyles of third world oligarchs.

We often lend money to foreign governments. If they don't pay, what will we do? Go to war? No? Then why should they pay? Especially because, when they don't pay, we seek new opportunities to lend them more.

I have to track my weight daily because keeping it down is important for my lung transplant. When it's up, I don't want to eat to get it down. When it's down, I don't want to eat to keep it down. When do I get to want to eat?

It's hard to see how Americans in general can regain the sense that honor is worth fighting for, which used to be universal, but now is limited to an increasingly small "Band of Brothers" in the military. Without it the world will hold us in contempt and feel they can attack Americans and our interests with impunity

Why would third world oligarchs want to do our bidding or place themselves on America's side in the struggle with our enemies? Diem was allied to America in the Republic of Vietnam. We deposed him bringing on his death when his opposition to our peace (surrender) efforts became inconvenient. Sadat allied Egypt with America and paid with his life. Gadhafi stopped attacking us and dismantled his nuclear efforts, only to see America join in his overthrow and death, making Libya into a terrorist hell hole more dangerous to American lives and interests than he ever was. The Shaw of Iran did our bidding, even pulling back from crushing his enemies because we wanted it. Many Americans on the left imagined that overthrowing him would bring democracy and peace to Iran. Instead it brought continued financing of terror, often with American dollars, and a relentless pursuit of nuclear weapons that may yet cost us New York and push our economy to the tipping point, starting the collapse. Ally with America and find death. Assad and others understand this all too well. We have made it plain.

I think we should have a large, "Death to Iran" rally, just to see if Obama dismisses it as he does their "Death to America" rallies.

I must be a bad friend. I don't have a smart phone, and don't check for messages from friends, some from 50 years ago, every five minutes.

When something happens to your detriment, it might be happenstance or coincidence. But you should treat it as enemy action until you verify that it is not.

I get e-notices of free Kindle books. When the cover shows a guy with a rippling-muscles bare stomach, I don't read the blurb. Chick porn.

Most of Obama's effort to deter terrorism has been a bluff. And when they see through the bluff, as they always do, they develop contempt.

One can never have too many books or too many quilts.

Both advertisers and politicians share a well-founded contempt for the reasoning powers of the American public.

People who attack Israel are the valued allies of groups that seek the destruction of America, Christianity, freedom and western civilization. Some of them know it and don't care.

The left insists that we follow the Genera Convention provision outlawing torture. I'm fine with that, as long as we follow the Geneva Convention provision that allows troops to shoot enemy combatants taken prisoners out of hand if they are not wearing uniforms or distinguishing insignia. This would have saved us a lot of trouble both at Gitmo and in the future.

One thing about Obama is he's a quick study. I understand he can now apologize for America in seven languages.

Some people are so fracking feckless that the best use for them would be to melt them down for tallow.

When a government agency says that they have "painstakingly" (or "carefully" or "thoroughly") reviewed the facts, you can bet they are overselling you on something. Do they not always carefully review the facts?

Saying Putin has some admirable qualities is like saying Hitler liked dogs. So what? He is an enemy of America, freedom and civilization.

Teach your sons to respect all persons, including women, and those of a different race, religion gender orientation or culture. Teach them to approach everyone with a friendly attitude. but teach them that some people for their own reasons--which you cannot change--will be enemies and try to do you harm regardless of what you do. Above all, teach them to be men, to play with guns, to shoot when they are old enough, to camp and hike and build and play appropriate sports. The metrosexuals and wussy-boys are ushering in a new barbarism, incubated in our cities and imported from abroad. In the coming chaos, only men and their families will have a chance to survive and restore civilization.

The last thing you want is a law named for your kid. If a legislator is sponsoring "Harold's Law," you know Harold came to an untimely and probably grisly end. BTW that's "gris-ly" not "griz-ly." There is no "Z" in it. Though like the mispronouncing of forte "for-tay" (the musical term) rather than "fort" (strength) dictionaries are giving in. Alas.

One good thing about billionaires like George Soros, Tom Steyer, Rich Richman, the Koch Brothers, Sheldon Adelson and Bill Gates putting millions into political campaigns is it puts their money back in the economy where we all benefit.

Obama being elected president in the middle of the war with Islamic barbarism gives you an idea of what would have happened had George McClellan beaten Lincoln in 1864.

If all cops are held responsible for the crimes of a few, and all gun owners are held responsible for the crimes of a few, shouldn't all blacks or all Muslims be held responsible for the crimes of a few?

The urge of the powerful to ban weapons predates firearms. In 1139 the Church tried to outlaw use of the crossbow, but was widely ignored. The crossbow, you see, was powerful, accurate and could be mastered in a short time, making the yeomanry the equal of the powerful nobility with their expensive armor and heavy chargers. The elites don't feel secure if the lower orders (you and me) can credibly challenge them.

Most Americans don't realize it and won't believe it if told, but the country is fighting for it's life, with only a few manning the ramparts against barbarism, while many are willing to open the gates rather than be criticized as politically incorrect. Few of them would be willing to make sacrifices to protect the future freedom and prosperity of their grandchildren. A nation fighting for its life cannot afford either genteel notions of chivalry or the warm fuzzy views of the social justice warriors. There will be precious little justice when the barbarians win. Those who would not stand now will bleat, "Why didn't someone do something" as they are led to the scaffold.

Societies that survive are led by fighting elites, not metrosexuals. No one expects a return to the time when kings led their armies, often from the front. But as recently as WWII the sons of the leaders were in battle and through the history of the Republic, the political leaders were former warriors.

Someone should tell our politicians that "The Seven Deadly Sins" were not published as a guide to conduct.

Saw a bumper sticker that said, "Diversity is our Strength." This being Madison, I assume this didn't include Diversity of Thought, the most important kind.

All the picking through things the GOP candidates said years ago reminds us that Obama had his college records sealed. I don't think he's protecting his grades as much as it's the things he wrote in papers that he doesn't want you to know about.

Anyone who thinks that Bernie Sanders, being a socialist, will represent a change from Barack Obama hasn't been paying attention. The only difference is that Sanders is more honest about it.

Veterans Day allows the protected who would never think of serving the opportunity to absolve their guilt by gushing over those who served.

There has been a controversy at Yale and the University of Missouri where students want other students punished for wearing non-PC, offensive Halloween costumes. They want any administrator who defends free speech fired. If their protests offend the administrator, should they be punished? If crosses and dogs offend Muslim students, should they be banned from campus? If wearing a hijab or other Muslim garb offends Christian students, should the Muslims be punished? It would never end. This is the age-old totalitarian impulse of the left, who want to ban speech if they disagree with it.

I heard a GOP debate moderator say he intends to ask questions about issues the voters want to hear about. To hell with that. They should ask questions about issues he voter need to hear about, but prefer not to be reminded of.

I suspect the University of Missouri president resigned because he took the job expecting to be president of a university that personified the liberal values of tolerance and free speech, not director of a kindergarten for incorrigible, spoiled children.

All the sacred Indian lands the evil Europeans took by force in America had been taken from other Indians by force. All of the Muslim lands that the evil crusaders attacked were formerly Christian lands taken by the Muslims by force. The history of man is red in tooth and claw. All property rights, which are the foundation of civilization and prosperity, go back to a fellow with a club, sword or bow who, with his followers, took it by force and held it. To demonize one side or the other for political purposes is bad history and obscures the truth.

If students really want to know what it's like to be part of a small, discriminated against minority, offended with impunity at every turn, they should join the College Republicans.

In the coming Brave New World, "journalists" will only be allowed take pictures or report news that is PC so as not to offend anyone.

Probably the most revered and fearsome of Muslim warriors were the Mamluks. What is less well known was that they were slaves; Mamluk means "to be owned." Mostly they were children kidnapped when very young, often from the Caucasus and other Christian lands and raised to be loyal and fight for the Muslim rulers. Of course, it's a bad idea to arm slaves; they took over Egypt and ruled for a couple of centuries. Still devout Muslims as they had been taught.

On Veterans Day they gave me a free lunch at Olive Garden and a free dinner at Hooters. Then the next day, nothing. How soon they forget.

When I was a kid, I never imagined that saying "Merry Christmas" or "Happy Holidays" would become political statements.

Despite calls for a higher minimum wage, I read that Hillary's interns get paid nothing. Of course, interns for the Clintons do get some benefits.

"Everything happens for a reason," some folks say. Unfortunately, the reason is often that so many folks are ambitious, greedy, stupid and/or evil.

Put me down as one who doesn't care that Starbuck's red holiday cups have dropped snowflakes and snowmen (or so I'm told) Such have little to do with the real meaning of Christmas anyway. Besides, I believe in separation of Church and Sludge. Barring no other place available to get a desperately-needed black coffee, I don't trade with Starbucks. I don't like their prices, their products or their politics.

People keep talking about Obama using half measures against ISIS. Personally, I don't think what he has done so far rises to the level of half measures.

In the war with Islamic Jihad, everyone is a target. You might as well be a combatant.

When I was the age of the Mizzou and Yale College-Babies, my idea of a "safe space" was an extra deep fighting hole. (Foxhole to you Army types.)

Who dies with the best enemies, wins!

When I was a kid, our heroes were real people. Not Mutant Turtles, Vampires or Metrosexuals Superheroes. We played with toy soldiers to represent them. Eventually, kids raised playing with Barbie Dolls and to fear guns will have to face ISIS. It won't be pretty.

If I had my way, there would be a lot of funerals for ISIS members. And the folks conducting them would be wearing HazMat suits and using Ice Scrapers to gather the remains.

Driving in a parking lot is like being a fighter pilot--you can be attacked from any direction.

People who don't understand basic economics are a danger to themselves and their neighbors when in the voting booth.

People who say they can't cook mean they are too lazy to cook. Anyone who can read can follow the directions in basic recipes.

From Errol Phillips: If the Climate Change People were really serious - they would force China and Russia and Mexico to upgrade their emission standards to that of the United States. Us doing anything more at this point is meaningless as well costly. Worldwide emissions would go down very significantly if everyone else had the same standards.

Note to politicians: The French Revolution happened when for several years the government spent more than it could take in. When it could not borrow, it was forced to raise hard taxes on the middle class and to cancel financial benefits it had awarded to favored groups--who were not pleased. What followed was revolution, the terror and dictatorship. Yes, it can happen here.

They used to say that you should vote for a rich person as they would have no need to steal. But after a lifetime of observing people, I notice the rich and well-to-do are as grubbingly greedy for more wealth and perks and the comforts money can buy as anyone else--often more so.

What's black and white and red all over? The Democrat Party.

Freedom of Speech means more than that everyone is allowed to say what he or she thinks. It means people are allowed to speak without thinking at all.

Quote: "There are three kinds of men. The one that learns by reading. The few who learn by observation. The rest of them have to pee on the electric fence for themselves." --Will Rogers

Get the collection!My “Random Thoughts” from 2008 through July, 2013 are collected in this book: The Old Jarhead's Journal: Random Thoughts on Life, Liberty, and Leadership by Robert A. Hall

The Old Jarhead’s Journal is a collection of Random Thoughts on politics and life and Conservative Political Essays, mostly published on the author’s blog, including the essay “I’m Tired” which went viral on the Internet in 2009, “The Hall Platform,” “This I Believe,” and “Why I’m a Republican.” While they will be of interest to conservative thinkers, they are collected here in book form as a service to readers who wish to give a copy to favorite liberals and watch their heads explode. All royalties are donated to the Injured Marine Semper Fi Fund.